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Cablegate: Brazil - Coordination and Outreach On Maritime

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 000825

SIPDIS

NSC FOR RENIGAR, DEMPSEY
USDOC FOR 4332/ITA/MAC/WH/OLAC/JANDERSEN/ADRISCOLL/MWAR D
USDOC FOR 3134/ITA/USCS/OIO/WH/RD/DDEVITO/DANDERSON/EOL SON
COAST GUARD FOR MARIO MERCADO
HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER FOR ICE OIA PAUL HAZELGREN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EWWT ECON ETRD KSTC PARM PHSA PREL PTER ASEC BR
SUBJECT: BRAZIL - COORDINATION AND OUTREACH ON MARITIME
SECURITY

REFS: A) SECSTATE 38874, B) 04 SAO PAULO 00792

1. Maritime security issues are handled primarily by the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE) Attache in Brasilia, Julio Velez.
Maritime security issues are coordinated with the Economic
Section, the Foreign Commercial Service (FCS), and the
Defense Attache Office (DAO).

2. The Brazilian government entity responsible for security
at both public and private ports is the National Commission
for Safety in Ports, Terminals and Navigation Channels
(CONPORTOS). The commission is headed by the Ministry of
Justice's National Public Security division (SENASP), and
includes representatives from the 21 State Commissions
(CESPORTOS), and the Defense, Finance, Transportation, and
Foreign Relations Ministries. There is some tension
between CONPORTOS' responsibility over port security
policies and the Ministry of Transportation and National
Aquatic Transportation Regulatory Agency's (ANTAQ)
responsibility over port operations and infrastructure in
general. The General Coordination of the Customs System
Office (COANA) within the Federal Revenue and Customs
Secretariat (Receita Federal) is responsible for all

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SIPDIS
customs related inspections and security issues. Guards at
all ports are generally contracted through private security
companies, however there is a residual number of federal
Port Guards. Security problems are reported to the
Brazilian Federal Police. The Federal Police also has
Special Maritime Police (NEPOM) units located in Rio and
Santos. Maritime security issues other than those related
to the ports are the responsibility of the Brazilian Navy
and the Federal Police.

3. The GOB primary point of contact for the DHS Container
Security Initiative (CSI) is COANA. The U.S. Coast Guard
(USCG) coordinates their visits to Brazilian ports with
CONPORTOS. The DAO coordinates with the Brazilian Navy and
the Federal Police when military ships are at anchor or
alongside pier. FCS coordinates its outreach activities
with the CONPORTOS, the Receita Federal, port associations,
and directly with port authorities.

4. DHS is planning for a trip by seven Receita Federal
officials to visit U.S. ports in the beginning of April.
DHS implementation of the CSI program is pending the
signing of a Declaration of Principles with the GOB,
scheduled for the first week of May. In 2003, DHS provided
training on the CSI program to GOB officials, private
sector companies, and other interested parties. USCG has
initiated a program to visit ports to review their
compliance with International Maritime Organization's
International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code;
USCG is in the process of scheduling a visit to Brazil
during 2005.

5. FCS regularly contacts port authorities and associations
to promote commercial ties. On March 3, FCS conducted an
outreach program in Santos on FCS services, ExIm Bank
programs, and the GOB's tax incentive program for
importation of port equipment. In June 2004, FCS
coordinated with the U.S. Trade and Development Agency
(TDA) for a Port Security Orientation Visit in which 11
Brazilian Port Authorities (primarily from private ports)
visited U.S. ports. In August 2004, FCS also organized,
together with the Brazilian Port and Terminal Association
(ABPT) the "First Port Security Seminar" in Rio de Janeiro;
the seminar included training and an exchange of U.S. and
Brazilian experiences in their respective implementations
of the ISPS Code.

6. Post does not have an established coordinating mechanism
for maritime security, such as a maritime security
coordinating council, but rather holds ad hoc, issue-driven
meetings as necessary. Communication and coordination
among the USG agencies and the consulates nevertheless
could be improved through a more formalized and regular
information exchange. Although both DHS and CONPORTOS are
based in Brasilia, Brasilia is in the interior of the
country, while the largest port, Santos, is located in
region covered by the Consulate General Sao Paulo.
Consulate General Sao Paulo has visited and reported on the
Santos (Reftel B) and Consulate Recife recently visited the
ports in Suape and Recife. DHS and FCS are improving
coordination to provide both security training and U.S.
suppliers with an opportunity to sell security equipment to
the GOB and private port authorities.

7. Maritime security was included again in the 2007 MPP
under the "Prevention and Response to Terrorism"
Performance Goal, with particular focus on DHS efforts to
establish Container Security Initiative Program.

8. This cable was coordinated and cleared with DHS, FCS,
and DAO, and reflects input from Consulates General Sao
Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and Consulate Recife.

DANILOVICH

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